Video doesn't show Kenyan deputy president Kindiki lecturing president's close aide, ignore misleading caption
IN SHORT: A video of Kenya's deputy president Kithure Kindiki apparently lecturing the president's right-hand man has been posted online. But Kindiki did not mention Farouk Kibet in the video. Given the full context, Kindiki was most likely referring to his predecessor, Rigathi Gachagua.
A video of Kenyan deputy president Kindiki Kithure giving a speech from a podium is doing the rounds on TikTok. It is captioned: "Kindiki lectures Farouk."
His speech is mostly in Kiswahili and can be roughly translated as:
So, I have seen some people here trying to teach us how to do our job. We know our work. We are very clear. We know what the job is. These leaders you see here, some of them are young leaders, but they are very clear about what their people need, and they have a roadmap for solving the problems of their people.So, I don't want to talk much. That's just how I am; I move like that. And sometimes people look at me and ask, 'Now this one?' They're amazed. They're amazed and wonder, 'How did he get here?' They're surprised, asking, 'Now, how did he get here?' That's the issue. That's why you see so much bitterness. Because leadership is a matter of God. Isn't that true?And when you get the opportunity, your headache as a leader should be, 'What can I do, now that I have this chance, for the people?' Not wandering around aimlessly. And some people, when they see how we speak, they think we are cowards.
The video has over 98,000 views and more than 4,000 likes.
The context
Kindiki took office in November 2024 after his predecessor, Rigathi Gachagua, was impeached.
Farouk Kibet is a long-time personal assistant and close aide to president William Ruto. As Ruto's right-hand man, he is said to wield considerable power.
One story about him in Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper began: "He is feared and revered in equal measure. Farouk Kibet, a long-time ally and close aide of president William Ruto, has unfettered access to the head of state."
Another newspaper claimed that he called the shots around Ruto.
Recently, rumours circulated on social media that Kibet had slapped Kindiki, sparking speculation of a rift between Kindiki and Ruto. While salacious, there were no credible sources to back up the rumours. Dennis Itumbi, the head of presidential special projects and creative economy, dismissed the claims as false.
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But the speculation was further fuelled by Kindiki's absence from national and public events for about two weeks. Kindiki later resurfaced, publicly denying the claims and clarifying that the president had given him a few days to recharge his batteries.
But does this video really show Kindiki lecturing Kibet? We checked.
Misleading caption
The video's caption is misleading. In the clip, Kindiki does not mention any names. Instead, he appears to defend his leadership and that of his colleagues while responding to critics who question his competence or how he attained his position.
We found the original clip showing Kindiki delivering the speech during a thanksgiving church service in the eastern Kenyan county of Embu on 5 January 2025. He addressed his critics but did not name anyone directly.
Given the full context, he may have indirectly referred to former deputy president Gachagua. Several media outlets also reported that Kindiki's speech referred to Gachagua, not Kibet.
We found no evidence that Kindiki was referring to Kibet at any point in his speech. On the contrary, he reassured the audience of his close working relationship with the president while seemingly criticising Gachagua.
The claim that Kindiki publicly lectured Kibet is false.
